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  • A "kids" balance bike with a difference
  • couldashouldawoulda
    Free Member

    OK this is a real long shot – at the weekend I made an improvised “balance bike” for my 13 yo nephew with cerebral palsy to try and encourage him back into learning to ride.

    He was really buoyed after learning some skiing (Xscape – Braehead FTW!) so his new found confidence was put to good use. His issue is confidence in balance – but only in things he’s tried as a youngster.

    But my “build” was based on a med mtb – really just cranks removed, saddle lowered and front brake adjusted to almost zero.

    The problem is that his legs keep hitting the BB shell area when he gets anyway out of shape.

    When looking at minors balance bikes the swoop of the downtube seems designed to avoid their lower legs.

    So – here’s the long shot – anyone done anything similar or can suggest a frame or modification that would suit? He’s 5’8 (at 13!!!).

    Cost for the frame is a consideration. Wheels, forks etc etc arent. Hes fine with my brakes, saddles etc.

    The pedal bike option has been ruled out after 8 years of trying – but after this weekend – he might be nearly there – if we can save the back of his calves!

    Bregante
    Full Member

    I can’t offer any useful advice but I wish you the very best of luck. He’s a lucky lad to have an uncle like you

    ojom
    Free Member

    Heh Ron, would a trials bike frame be sensible or am I barking up the wrong tree.

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    GW
    Free Member

    wrap a few old innertubes around the BB shell and gaffertape it up?

    couldashouldawoulda
    Free Member

    Hi Mark – Like this kind of thing?

    http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=trials+bike&hl=en&prmd=imvns&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1640&bih=965&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=4444311413933020826&sa=X&ei=hV2wTq2BN9H_8QO87-mmAQ&ved=0CGYQ8wIwAA

    You might be onto something there! A real high BB.

    But he has to able to sit on the saddle? Can we get a seatpost for a 5’8″ guy to get his feet on the ground?

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    What about using some flexible drainpipe, slit + cutout and taped to frame from down tube, under bb and finishing in front of tyre?

    Harry_the_Spider
    Full Member

    Some sort of shaped padding taped over the BB shell? Slit American football perhaps?

    mos
    Full Member

    What about scouring ebay for an old elevated chainstay mtb frame & getting a frame builder to cut off the seat down tube & beef it up a bit.

    like this one here.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alpinestars-Cro-Mega-LX-snazzy-vintage-classic-mountain-bike-MBK-1991-/320784337360?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item4ab03c89d0

    couldashouldawoulda
    Free Member

    Thanks guys – that’s helping me “talk out loud”. I’ve realised that even if I can save him from the frame he’s not going to be far from the back wheel. Maybe I’ll need some form of bar / bracket – vertical thingy, to stop the back wheel running over himself.

    couldashouldawoulda
    Free Member

    Sorry mos- do you mean cutting off the whole bb area – below the pivot?

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    aye, that would work!

    mos
    Full Member

    yeah, although there isn’t a pivot as its a rigid bike. Just cut below the join on the downtube & seat tube. But it may need some stiffening afterwards.

    couldashouldawoulda
    Free Member

    Thanks Mos – gotcha! And these come in normal sizes eg 5’8″ ?

    revs1972
    Free Member

    Just thinking out loud but…….
    would it be possible to “upscale” one of the wooden type balance bikes
    to small adult size ?
    Maybe need a bit of engineering, but should be fairly straightforward for someone in the know.

    couldashouldawoulda
    Free Member

    Hi revs – thanks – but he’s 13. Much appreciated. But 13 seems to mean looking “cool” (to some extent), eg eyeing up the girls etc etc (really he just has to keep up with his school mates – mainstream school) and so “wooden” is out.

    revs1972
    Free Member

    I guess something like Graeme Obrees “old faithful” but without the extension for the bottom bracket, and a more suitable riding position.
    (have a look at the picture on wikipedia).
    Does his cerebral palsy effect both legs, or just one side ?

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    Found the answer…

    couldashouldawoulda
    Free Member

    Both sides are equal..

    I’m looking at that Graeme Obree Wiki site and thinking – how off the wall is that – jeez that might just work!

    So (serious apologies – I have no idea about track bikes) can we get a seatpost for a 5’8″ guy to work in one of those and get his feet on the ground? No speed involved – just building confidence?

    #Edit – that repsonse is aimed at revs. I’ve just got some more stuff to go look at Matt!

    muppetWrangler
    Free Member

    Another AlpineStars contender, this time it’s a T24.


    couldashouldawoulda
    Free Member

    Thanks MuppetWrangler. Fantastic!

    That seems ideal! Any idea what sort of seatpost I can get in there ? ( and lastly for a bumbling trainee – non structurally ?)

    revs1972
    Free Member

    He built those bikes as bespoke models, so I guess you could do what ever you like to get the correct height etc
    The frame in muppetWranglers picture looks like it would be ideal for modification. Im looking at that and thinking chop the tubes off and cap the ends then weld in a stiffening gusset into the triangle left.
    Im not a frame builder or anything , but if you were to use say a 400mm long seatpost to get your height, set it at correct height , then chop off the bottom of the tube / btm bracket so it is flush with the bottom of the post.
    i would imagine 24 inch wheels would be good as the bike would be smaller and possibly easier to control.
    Sounds like a plan

    mamadirt
    Free Member

    I recognize that grotty kitchen floor on that top T24 pic 😉 . Pretty hard to find but yeah, I guess it would be perfect for what you’re looking for. Here’s another pic . . .

    Can’t for the life of me remember the seatpost size but I’m sure I have the original specs downloaded somewhere.

    muppetWrangler
    Free Member

    Both the AlpineStars suggestions and the Trimble should work with minor alterations, but all of them are pretty old frames. The main reason I added it was just to give another option as I doubt you’ll have the luxury of finding exactly the frame you want so the more you’ve got to pick from the better.

    One other thought that may or may not work. What about trimming as much as possible off of the bb shell of a skinny tubed old steel frame, you should be able to reduce the width a fair bit then add some kind of cowl that starts on the downtube and wraps over the remaining BB shell (carbon wrap possibly ask cynic-al). That way if the young fellas legs head in that direction they won’t hit a sudden ‘T’ section but should be smoothly redirected.

    I hope I’ve explained that well enough for you to picture it, in my head it seems like a fairly easy solution that you could manage with pretty much any old bike.

    revs1972
    Free Member

    that Trimble looks like it could show promise too
    although it looks like it may be expensive

    muppetWrangler
    Free Member

    i would imagine 24 inch wheels would be good as the bike would be smaller and possibly easier to control.

    I think but am by no means certain that it had regular 26″ wheels and the 24 in the name stood for the tiny standover height. Mamadirt could probably confirm that.

    couldashouldawoulda
    Free Member

    Thanks – Mamadirt: much appreciated! We’ve got a target now!

    mamadirt
    Free Member

    Yes, muppetWrangler is right, it does indeed take 26″ wheels and the 24″ refers to the standover height. I think mine was a 1991 and I believe it was renamed the T26 the following year to avoid confusion about the wheel size. Might be worth posting a wanted ad over on retrobike.co.uk – not sure if the chap I sold mine to would be willing to part with it, but there may be one or two more lurking somewhere. Another similar retro option would be the British Eagle Exs.

    couldashouldawoulda
    Free Member

    Both the AlpineStars suggestions and the Trimble should work with minor alterations, but all of them are pretty old frames. The main reason I added it was just to give another option as I doubt you’ll have the luxury of finding exactly the frame you want so the more you’ve got to pick from the better.

    Thanks- very much appreciated.

    muppetWrangler
    Free Member

    Dont do an image search for “British Eagle Exs” if you’re of a sensitive disposition.

    couldashouldawoulda
    Free Member

    Ok. Agreed.

    Well actually now that you’ve suggested it….

    mamadirt
    Free Member

    Oooops – safe search here 😉

    Still failed to find pics though – just imagine a T24 in neon ‘Dynorod’ orange.

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